How The Walking Dead AMC-TV Series Lost Its Moral Compass – Will I still watch?

The advertised scene that got me to give the series a look is the kind of image that if on the cover of a book would have got me to buy and read the book. One of the kinds of things that appeals to me. What that image reveals without words, with stunning silence…

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It was a particular scene in Episode 1 of Season 1 that impressed me, sold me on continued watching of The Walking Dead AMC-TV series. There were many good scenes, but this one stood out in an unexpected gripping serious dramatic way with soul. “I’m sorry this happened to you.” said by Rick gave the story something few stories have…

Then what sealed the deal for me is the scene with Doctor Edwin Jenner explaining the zombie apocalypse virus from a medical science perspective. The Center for Disease Control, abbreviated as CDC, is a building within Atlanta, Georgia that the survivors attempt to reach in Episode 5 of Season 1, “Wildfire”, in a desperate attempt to obtain assistance and aid from the government. The use of the title “Wildfire” dates back to the 1971 movie The Andromeda Strain.

Rick Grimes became the leader and moral compass. “We don’t kill the living” he said. Then as events unfolded, killing some of the living became necessary for self defense, as other survivors encountered turned out to be more dangerous than the “walkers” – zombies. Rick came up with three questions to test people: “How many walkers have you killed? How many people have you killed? Why?”

Rick’s wife died while trying to give birth, which had significant impact on him, and his son who had to kill her in the process of saving the baby. In Episode 12 of Season 5 Rick takes a defensive and romantic interest in the wife of an abusive husband. Defending her fit. The romantic interest didn’t fit. It was a bad turning point when Rick loses his moral compass. The Walking Dead in Season 6 threw the ultimate curveball at viewers when, in the episode’s closing minutes, Rick and Michonne suddenly and without warning took their platonic relationship to the next level. First there was a seemingly innocent hand-clasp. Then an exchange of googly eyes. Then a kiss. Then some barely-audible pre-carnal cooing. Then another kiss. And then… the sex. It simply wasn’t realistic and so it departed from character relationships logic of the series, perhaps to boost ratings and push political correctness.

Further on in Season 6, defensive killing of hostile humans became offensive killing with members of Rick’s group becoming like hired killers. They had encountered a group of whom 50% of their supplies are being extorted by another group engaging in a protection racket. So the plan is to kill all of that other group to save the group Rick wants to trade with – but for the hypocrisy, we kill your enemy, we get half of your stuff. It made Rick and his group as bad as the bad guys. Further, Rick fails to properly check out the size and strength of the group he attacks at the end of that season – leading to the bizarre cliffhanger ending of Season 6 when Rick’s group gets caught by the ultimate bad guys and end up paying a stunning price.

Abraham being executed did not surprise me. Viewers had already been teased with the cliffhanger ending of a Season 6 episode in which Glenn appears to fall and be killed by zombies. Viewers raised hell about the loss of Glenn and other top characters. The tease is that Glenn only appeared to be killed, and does escape. In the comic book series the TV series is based on, Glenn is executed in addition to Abraham by the ultimate brutal villain – Negan . . . and so ended Episode 1 of Season 7.

Rick is no longer the leader. Now he answers to Negan. Who does Negan answer to? Another new bizarre character known as “King” Ezekiel. Meantime, my favorite character, Daryl Dixon – played by actor Norman Reedus – is taken hostage by Negan. So although The Walking Dead lost its moral compass in Season 6 and now pays the price in Season 7 – I believe presented more for ratings boosting shock value than good drama, I must find out the fate of Daryl Dixon. I was going to quit watching the series. It’s been reported other viewers will no longer watch the series for same or similar reasons. I’ll give it at least one more look to find out Dixon’s fate.

To get the series back on track for the way I’d prefer it to be, Daryl would be reunited with Rick, and then they would escape Negan and Ezekiel. To make up for Negan executing Abraham, they should continue on their trek to Washington DC, or at least some other destination. For all to submit to Negan and Ezekiel is not the direction I want to see the series go in. As is, it has degraded to no good guys and no moral compass. Just bad people killing each other, instead of defending against the zombies and trying to survive.